ISLAMORADA, Fla. (AP) - Longtime residents of the Florida Keys remember the late George H.W. Bush and his sportfishing trips to the island chain before, during and after his presidency.
The 41st president’s affection for catch-and-release fishing of bonefish, tarpon and permit was so significant, he lent his name to an annual Keys tournament.
From 1994 to 2003, the George Bush/Cheeca Lodge Bonefish Tournament attracted participants including former treasury secretary Nicholas Brady and Gen. Norman Schwarzkopf Jr.
The tournament served as a fundraiser for causes including Florida Everglades conservation.
In 1995, the president and his grandson, Jeb Bush, Jr., each caught and released a permit. In late November 2000, the president fished the tournament, but his mind was focused on that year’s presidential election and the Florida recount.
Bush was buried Thursday at his presidential library at Texas A&M University.
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